{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Airport",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "addressCountry": "United States of America",
    "addressLocality": "Vernal"
  },
  "airlines": [
    "Contour Airlines",
    "Surf Air (private jet membership)"
  ],
  "amenityFeature": [
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "Domestic to Domestic Connection Time",
      "value": "45 minutes"
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "Domestic to International Connection Time",
      "value": "90 minutes"
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "International to Domestic Connection Time",
      "value": "90 minutes"
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "International to International Connection Time",
      "value": "120 minutes"
    },
    {
      "@type": "LocationFeatureSpecification",
      "name": "Interline Connection Time",
      "value": "0 minutes"
    }
  ],
  "city": "Vernal",
  "code": "VEL",
  "connection_tips": "Vernal Regional Airport serves as the primary aviation gateway to Dinosaur National Monument and Utah's Uintah Basin, located one mile southeast of Vernal. The facility supports paleontology research through charter flights bringing scientists to study dinosaur fossil beds, while hunting and fishing charters serve outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Terminal facilities remain basic but functional, with general aviation services supporting oil field operations, recreational flying, and emergency services. Alternative access to Dinosaur National Monument includes Grand Junction, Colorado, 60 miles east, offering more flight options.\n\nConnection times remain minimal as the single airline operation eliminates complex transfers, though alternative airports include Salt Lake City 175 miles west or Denver 335 miles east for comprehensive networks. Contour Airlines provides Essential Air Service program flights since February 2024, replacing former United Express service. The facility operates scheduled commercial service under federal subsidy ensuring connectivity for this remote region where oil and gas industries drive economic activity alongside growing paleontology tourism.\n\nThe airport supports the Uintah Basin's energy sector with charter flights serving oil and gas operations, plus medical evacuation services connecting rural communities to Salt Lake City hospitals. Ground transportation consists primarily of rental cars and taxis for the 20-minute drive to Dinosaur National Monument, while local hotels provide shuttle services during peak tourism seasons from May through September. Weather conditions at 5,280 feet elevation bring seasonal variations with winter storms potentially disrupting flights, while summer temperatures exceeding 100\u00b0F affect aircraft performance.",
  "country": "United States of America",
  "flag_url": "https://flagcdn.com/w320/us.png",
  "flight_search_affiliate_link": "https://book.beatthatflight.com.au/?currency=USD",
  "frequent_traveler_tip": [
    "Check transport options in advance as services may be limited.",
    "Check your flight status before leaving for the airport.",
    "Allow extra time during peak travel periods at this airport.",
    "Keep important documents easily accessible at this airport.",
    "Download your airline's mobile app for updates at this airport."
  ],
  "global_map_link": "https://www.google.com/maps?q=Vernal+Regional+Airport",
  "google_maps_reviews": {
    "rating": 0.0,
    "recent_reviews": [],
    "total_reviews": 0
  },
  "hotel_affiliate_link": "https://book.beatthatflight.com.au/?currency=USD",
  "iataCode": "VEL",
  "icao": "KVEL",
  "international": false,
  "last_modified": "June 2026",
  "last_updated": "2026-03-29",
  "latitude": 40.4408989,
  "layover_planner_info": "Plan ahead; local amenities vary.",
  "longitude": -109.5100021,
  "mct_domestic_to_domestic": 45,
  "mct_domestic_to_international": 90,
  "mct_interline": 110,
  "mct_international_to_domestic": 90,
  "mct_international_to_international": 120,
  "missed_connection_help": "Contact your airline for assistance with missed connections.",
  "name": "Vernal Regional Airport",
  "region": "Americas",
  "related_airports": [
    {
      "code": "AAF",
      "name": "Apalachicola Regional Airport"
    }
  ],
  "terminal_info": "Vernal Regional Airport (VEL/KVEL) serves as the primary aviation gateway to Utah's 'Dinosaurland,' positioned one mile southeast of Vernal as the hub for accessing Dinosaur National Monument\u2014the only place in the world where visitors can view and touch more than 1,500 dinosaur bones in their final resting place. Located in the Uintah Basin at 5,280 feet elevation, this facility supports the unique intersection of paleontological research and energy industry operations where oil and gas extraction sites scattered across the Colorado Plateau landscape create angular fields connected by numerous access roads alongside the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum.\n\nBasic terminal facilities reflect the airport's specialized role serving both scientific research and energy industry operations, accommodating Contour Airlines' Essential Air Service program flights since February 2024 after replacing United Express service, plus charter operations transporting paleontologists to study fossil beds containing Allosaurus, Deinonychus, Abydosaurus, and various sauropod specimens. The facility supports the region's 9,089 residents and diverse economy where energy extraction, tourism, and paleontological research converge within 80-mile radius where evidence of Earth's entire geological history remains visible across Colorado Plateau formations established as a national monument by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915.\n\nOperational characteristics accommodate the dual demands of energy industry aviation and scientific tourism where charter flights transport oil field personnel to extraction sites while research aircraft deliver scientists accessing over 800 paleontological sites throughout the Dinosaur National Monument located just 12 miles east of Vernal. The airport's strategic position enables efficient access to both Uintah Basin oil and gas operations\u2014requiring new railroad construction to support increased petroleum transportation\u2014and dinosaur fossil research sites that gained worldwide renown for paleontological discoveries spanning millions of years of geological record.\n\nStrategic importance extends beyond regional connectivity to anchoring a unique American destination where cutting-edge paleontological research occurs alongside significant energy production, enabling scientific discoveries that enhance understanding of prehistoric life while supporting modern energy infrastructure essential for national economic interests. The airport exemplifies specialized infrastructure serving dual purposes where fossil fuel extraction and fossil discovery coexist, connecting this remote Utah location with researchers, energy professionals, and tourists drawn to landscapes where dinosaurs once roamed and modern civilization now extracts ancient energy resources.",
  "terminal_map_url": "https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Vernal+Regional+Airport+United+States+of+America"
}